For the first time since 2011, the Mercer Island boys swim and dive team are 3A state champs.

Mercer Island, with champions in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays as well as the 100 freestyle, won the 3A swim and dive state championship meet Saturday, Feb. 22 at King County Aquatic Center. The Islanders won with a team score of 337. In second was Bellevue with a score of 282.5, and in third was Lakeside with a score of 233.5.

“It’s bittersweet,” said coach Chauntelle Johnson of the state win after the meet. “I’m excited for the seniors to go out on top. We only had one of these seniors at the state meet the last time these guys won. The other seniors that swam today, this was their first state championship with the team. It makes it really special. I’m really happy for them.”

Mercer Island’s team of Andrew Weiss, Karl MacLane, Brandt Waesche and Ian Caldwell won the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:25.97, while the team of Weiss, Waesche, Caldwell and Noah Deiparine won the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:07.36.

Deiparine won the 100 freestyle with a time of 46.46, while Weiss took second at 46.54, Caldwell was fourth at 47.28 and Brandt Waesche was eighth with a time of 48.25.

Other highlights from the meet included Mercer Island’s team of Weiss, Deiparine, Duncan Koontz and MacLane placing third in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:35.46. Bellevue’s team won, setting a new state record with a winning time of 1:34.09, while Lakeside was second with a time of 1:34.99.

Ben Gore took third in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:42.97, and Caldwell was sixth with a time of 1:45.28.

Hanford’s William Wertz won with a time of 1:41.81. In the 200 individual medley, Koontz took eighth place with a time of 1:58.66. Lakeside’s Abrahm Devine won the event, setting a new state record with a time of 1:47.6.

In the 50 freestyle, Deiparine was second with a time of 21.29, while MacLane was eighth with a time of 21.82. Interlake’s Michael Lorr won with a time of 20.9. Ben Dixon took eighth place in the diving event with a score of 282.3, with Shorecrest’s Aaron Moss winning the event with a score of 451.8. In the 500 freestyle, Gore finished third in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:41.08, while David Conger was fourth with a time of 4:46. Lakeside’s Devine won with a time of 4:29.56. Bellevue’s Todd McCarthy won the 100 butterfly with a time of 49.12, and also the 100 backstroke at 48.64. Peninsula’s Caleb Riggs won the 100 breaststroke with a time of 56.98.

Johnson said her team’s goal was to get as many swimmers to the state meet as possible, and she was happy so many took part in the win. And while Johnson was happy for her team and what they accomplished, she reiterated the bittersweet aspect of watching the seniors during the state meet.

“You watch the 400 yard relay, and I have three seniors on that relay and those guys aren’t going to swim for me anymore,” she said. “I’ve spent a lot of time with these guys. I invest a lot into them, they invest a lot back into the sport and back into the team. It is bittersweet that it comes to an end, but I’m happy that they were able to go out this way.”

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